Melissa K. Soper, APRN

Melissa Soper, ANCC board-certified Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, completed her BSN at Eastern Kentucky University in 2006 and her MSN at the University of Kentucky in 2011. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Executive Healthcare Leadership at the University of Kentucky, with an anticipated graduation in Spring 2026.

Melissa began her bedside nursing career in the Medical ICU at the University of Kentucky in 2006. From 2011 to 2012, she served as a nephrology nurse practitioner, managing acute kidney injury (AKI) and coordinating renal replacement therapies for critically ill adults. From 2012 to 2023, she practiced as an intensivist in the Medical ICU at the University of Kentucky Medical Center. Concurrently, from 2018 to 2023, she worked as an ICU Recovery Clinic nurse practitioner, facilitating interdisciplinary transitions of care for patients following prolonged ICU stays. Currently, Melissa serves as an intensivist and Advanced Practice Provider (APP) supervisor in the Cardiovascular ICU at the University of Kentucky.

Her research focuses on long-COVID and post-intensive care syndrome (PICS). She has authored several research articles, delivered presentations, and contributed a book chapter on these subjects. Her clinical interests include the management of intermittent and durable mechanical support devices for cardiac and respiratory support, implementing A to F Bundles for ICU liberation, and improving care transitions for ICU survivors.

Melissa’s professional interests lie in advancing workplace well-being, developing an APP mentorship program, and promoting the professional development of APPs. Her dedication to clinical excellence, education, and leadership continues to have a positive impact on patient care and the APP community.